CARNESVILLE, Ga. – The FASTRAK Pro Late Model Series has will be the first dirt Late Model sanctioning body to mandate new safety regulations for both race cars and drivers beginning with the 2017 racing season. This will require certain mandatory safety equipment.
For 2017, all race cars competing in FASTRAK Pro Late Model Series sanctioned events will be required to have a minimum ten pound onboard fire suppression system and a Sprint Car-type window net. All drivers competing in FASTRAK Pro Late Model Series sanctioned events will be required to wear a full fire resistant driving suit, fire resistant shoes, and fire resistant gloves.
FASTRAK has teamed up with Safecraft Fire Suppression Systems of Pittsburg, California as the official Fire Suppression System of the FASTRAK Pro Late Model Series, while Simpson World of Mooresville, North Carolina will offer FASTRAK members a discount on all safety items except head and neck restraints.
“There have been just too many injuries and too many fatalities in dirt late model racing over the last couple of years, and somebody had to step up to the plate and do something to get this under control,” FASTRAK Founder and CEO Stan Lester said. “FASTRAK has been known for firsts as the first sanctioning bodies for dirt late models powered by the Chevrolet Performance Crate Engine, and the first dirt late model sanctioning body to not allow grooved and siped tires, so we’re very comfortable to be the first to mandate safety items for the race cars and drivers.”
Lester said safety does have a price tag with it, especially when it comes to the safety items FASTRAK has mandated for use beginning with the 2017 racing season, but what price does a driver’s life have attached to it? That’s why he also went to work to find safety partners that would be willing to work with the series and its competitors to make this safety effort a win-win situation for everyone involved.
“We ask our competitors to spend a lot of money to come and race with our FASTRAK/Ultimate family of dirt late model series, and when we mandated the new safety requirements, we once again asked them to spend more money, even if it is for their own good,” Lester said. “We are so happy to have safety partners in this endeavor like Safecraft Fire Suppression Systems and Simpson Race Products that have agreed to offer our member competitors discounts that will not only save them money, but could also safe their lives.”
For more information, visit the FASTRAK Racing Series website at FASTRAKRacing.com.
